4 ms·

Haha, I think I read this article when it came out almost 20 years ago. This doesn't actually tell you any useful advice other than to get a loan in advance fr

Haha, I think I read this article when it came out almost 20 years ago. This doesn't actually tell you any useful advice other than to get a loan in advance from the credit union before setting foot in the dealer. Negotiation tactics aside, some useful items are: - Find out what tax and title should be, assume a $500 "documenting fee" do a notional write up in advance, bring a calculator - Decide if you are going to get the maintenence plan or entertain it in advance, it can be leverage in the overall deal - Figure out if you are going to pay for any of their $800 special coatings that are "already on the car" that they will only tell you about at the very end - Even if you have a good rate from the credit union you may be able to get better or equal from the dealer (manufacturer subsidies). Taking financing from the dealer makes more money for them, so it becomes a lever for you to get the overall price down. - Take your checkbook (or Amex!) but be ready to bail if they are too stubborn. Leave your contact info and final offer, but the manager already knows you brought your checkbook with you so they will generally come around

MPSimmons 3y ago
Dealers, in my experience, will not agree to sell you a car if you try to pay with AmEx. Checks work, though.
- khaki54 3y ago
  I was able to do a large portion for the last 2 i have bought. It wasn't their first choice but they didn't push back too hard either. Amex even has a program for it.
dylan604 3y ago
> but be ready to bail if they are too stubborn. this is best tip that I've personally used. the first time, I wasn't even trying. i dropped my car off for service for the 3rd time for the exact same defect, and was killing time on the show floor. jokingly, i told a sales person if they could make the "lemon" car go away I could be talked into a new car. I did this on the way to work and did not consider how long the process had taken. My boss called with a "where are you" that I turned into a crisis that required me to leave. The price suddenly started dropping to keep me from leaving. Left anyways as i wasn't really looking to buy.
givemeethekeys 3y ago
I ask for an "out the door price" and negotiate on that. If I'm buying a fairly common car, like a Toyota Camry, then this is very easy to do across dealerships. I make it clear that I'm paying cash. That's money they can flip immediately towards the purchase of another car.
- gamepsys 3y ago
  A few tips on going this route. * This won't work well for cars with limited stock. If a model/trim is leaving as fast as it's coming in they will prefer to give it to someone with dealership financing. * If buying new make sure to be very clear to a dealership if you are calling from out of state.
  - gedjurdcv 3y ago
    > If buying new make sure to be very clear to a dealership if you are calling from out of state. Interesting, why so?
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - nothercastle 3y ago
    With the limited stock the only option I found is to locate a low markup dealer and either go on their list or just keep calling them.
  - fingerlocks 3y ago
    Is this backwards? I just purchased a very difficult to get vehicle and the dealership required a cash-only payment
    - gamepsys 3y ago
      I'm sure it's different for different dealers. I wasn't talking about anything too limited edition but mass market models that dealerships cannot seem to keep in stock. The thing were supply is just a little behind demand. We've seen a lot of that in the last 3 years, and it's still around for some make/models.
JKCalhoun 3y ago
Read it as well. It was eye opening to me that the dealers have this all worked out, have a strategy. Me wandering in like the mark I am. The article changed me though. I had a guy try the four-square when I showed up and I almost laughed. "Go to your manager and get me the best price he can give me. I've got like 5 minutes and then I'm headed to another dealership." Another time I played one dealership off another trying to get each to go lower than the other. One soon told me to fuck off so I bought the car from the other dealership. Oh well. It's not like I was able to screw over the dealers or anything (there is an absolute bottom they will not sell below) but I think when you finally realize you have agency, have the money they want, can walk away, it made the process much less anxiety-inducing.
- vundercind 3y ago
  > One soon told me to fuck off so I bought the car from the other dealership. Oh well. My proudest moment in my development as a car-buyer was having a one of the managers invite me and my wife into his office, after I guess we weren’t playing along with their bullshit enough (Jesus, I wasn’t even playing hardball yet) for him to try some totally bizarre “look, you don’t seem to know how this works” plus “we don’t need your business” routine on us. It was clearly a tactic because he spent way too much time on it, if all he actually wanted was for us to fuck off. Utterly weird interaction, and hilarious. We bought elsewhere. Car buying’s risky and hellish unless you come in armed with knowledge and ready to treat it as a game—a game you’re free to stop playing the very second you perceive you’re not winning. Then it’s kinda fun.
  - gedjurdcv 3y ago
    > Car buying’s risky and hellish Agreed! I just make sure to buy cheaper vehicles so I don’t worry about spending an extra 5% or 10% if I “get scammed” by the dealer. So they made some extra money? Who cares. I don’t negotiate for my pint and burger either. This approach has saved me a lot of stress.
- dataflow 3y ago
  > Another time I played one dealership off another trying to get each to go lower than the other How do you do this for more then one iteration? Do you call the other dealership on the spot? Do you run/drive back and forth half a dozen times?
dashundchen 3y ago
> Find out what tax and title should be, assume a $500 "documenting fee" do a notional write up in advance, bring a calculator A few states have capped or fixed document fees. In New York State, it's currently up to $175 for the dealer, plus any fees you owe to the state for title and registration (should match what the state charges for you to do it yourself). Many states have no cap and it's no uncommon to find $500-$1000 doc fees. Check your state's law.

MPSimmons 3y ago

Dealers, in my experience, will not agree to sell you a car if you try to pay with AmEx. Checks work, though.

khaki54 3y ago
I was able to do a large portion for the last 2 i have bought. It wasn't their first choice but they didn't push back too hard either. Amex even has a program for it.

dylan604 3y ago

> but be ready to bail if they are too stubborn. this is best tip that I've personally used. the first time, I wasn't even trying. i dropped my car off for service for the 3rd time for the exact same defect, and was killing time on the show floor. jokingly, i told a sales person if they could make the "lemon" car go away I could be talked into a new car. I did this on the way to work and did not consider how long the process had taken. My boss called with a "where are you" that I turned into a crisis that required me to leave. The price suddenly started dropping to keep me from leaving. Left anyways as i wasn't really looking to buy.

givemeethekeys 3y ago

I ask for an "out the door price" and negotiate on that. If I'm buying a fairly common car, like a Toyota Camry, then this is very easy to do across dealerships. I make it clear that I'm paying cash. That's money they can flip immediately towards the purchase of another car.

gamepsys 3y ago
A few tips on going this route. * This won't work well for cars with limited stock. If a model/trim is leaving as fast as it's coming in they will prefer to give it to someone with dealership financing. * If buying new make sure to be very clear to a dealership if you are calling from out of state.
- gedjurdcv 3y ago
  > If buying new make sure to be very clear to a dealership if you are calling from out of state. Interesting, why so?
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- nothercastle 3y ago
  With the limited stock the only option I found is to locate a low markup dealer and either go on their list or just keep calling them.
- fingerlocks 3y ago
  Is this backwards? I just purchased a very difficult to get vehicle and the dealership required a cash-only payment
  - gamepsys 3y ago
    I'm sure it's different for different dealers. I wasn't talking about anything too limited edition but mass market models that dealerships cannot seem to keep in stock. The thing were supply is just a little behind demand. We've seen a lot of that in the last 3 years, and it's still around for some make/models.

JKCalhoun 3y ago

Read it as well. It was eye opening to me that the dealers have this all worked out, have a strategy. Me wandering in like the mark I am. The article changed me though. I had a guy try the four-square when I showed up and I almost laughed. "Go to your manager and get me the best price he can give me. I've got like 5 minutes and then I'm headed to another dealership." Another time I played one dealership off another trying to get each to go lower than the other. One soon told me to fuck off so I bought the car from the other dealership. Oh well. It's not like I was able to screw over the dealers or anything (there is an absolute bottom they will not sell below) but I think when you finally realize you have agency, have the money they want, can walk away, it made the process much less anxiety-inducing.

vundercind 3y ago
> One soon told me to fuck off so I bought the car from the other dealership. Oh well. My proudest moment in my development as a car-buyer was having a one of the managers invite me and my wife into his office, after I guess we weren’t playing along with their bullshit enough (Jesus, I wasn’t even playing hardball yet) for him to try some totally bizarre “look, you don’t seem to know how this works” plus “we don’t need your business” routine on us. It was clearly a tactic because he spent way too much time on it, if all he actually wanted was for us to fuck off. Utterly weird interaction, and hilarious. We bought elsewhere. Car buying’s risky and hellish unless you come in armed with knowledge and ready to treat it as a game—a game you’re free to stop playing the very second you perceive you’re not winning. Then it’s kinda fun.
- gedjurdcv 3y ago
  > Car buying’s risky and hellish Agreed! I just make sure to buy cheaper vehicles so I don’t worry about spending an extra 5% or 10% if I “get scammed” by the dealer. So they made some extra money? Who cares. I don’t negotiate for my pint and burger either. This approach has saved me a lot of stress.
dataflow 3y ago
> Another time I played one dealership off another trying to get each to go lower than the other How do you do this for more then one iteration? Do you call the other dealership on the spot? Do you run/drive back and forth half a dozen times?

dashundchen 3y ago

> Find out what tax and title should be, assume a $500 "documenting fee" do a notional write up in advance, bring a calculator A few states have capped or fixed document fees. In New York State, it's currently up to $175 for the dealer, plus any fees you owe to the state for title and registration (should match what the state charges for you to do it yourself). Many states have no cap and it's no uncommon to find $500-$1000 doc fees. Check your state's law.